Diesel engines are generally more powerful, more efficient, and easier to maintain than other types of engines. As a result, most users of off-road vehicles, such as fork-lift trucks, prefer diesel power. The primary disadvantage of diesel is soot. Soot from diesel engines contains sulfates and soluble organics, as well as carbon particles. In an enclosed space, soot creates a dirty, unpleasant, and unproductive working environment. As a result, it is clear that diesel power requires filtration when it is used in an enclosed work space.
Filter traps for diesel engines are well known. Regenerable filter traps for over-the-road vehicles, have on-board regeneration capability and may include more than one trap or various divisions of filters within the same trap housing so that one portion can be regenerated while others continue to filter. Such sophistication is too costly for off-road vehicles.
With respect to off-road vehicles, diesel soot traps are also known. Such traps are known to remove more than 90 percent of particulates in the exhaust. The problem is that regeneration has traditionally required hours. Such downtime for a fork-lift truck, for example, becomes very expensive. Consequently, it is clear that there exists a need for an inexpensive regeneration arrangement which functions quickly with respect to off-road vehicles.